Example Of Applications Of Graph Theory In Networking Essay

Graph theory is a modern mathematical theory about applications and properties of graphs. A graph is made of vertices connected to each other using lines called edges. A graph helps us describe the interrelationship between related objects. Graphs are mathematical structures that act as models to many types of relations (Novak & Gibbons, 2009). They represent many practical problems and have a variety of uses in various fields, for example, their use in physics and chemistry to study molecules. In mathematics they help in the study of geometry. They have also contributed much in the area of networking such as computer networking.
Within the area of networking, graphs represent information flow. The Computers act as a communication device to pass information. This information may arrive from one person and then it is passed to another person, an institution or an organization. These interconnected computers allow passage of information and avoid leakage of information to the wrong people. In this case, graphs are used to represent how information produced by one-person flows from the person to the next person. Information in computer networks may flow vertically whereby, information flows from low ranks to the top ranks or from top ranks to low ranks. (Steen, 2010). Graph theory is used to explain how this information flows by representing each rank as a vertex of the graph; then drawing a line from each vertex to another to represent the flow of information from one rank to the next. This application of graphs in networking helps organizational communication from and to various levels and departments.
The other application of graphs in networking is in data organization and the flow of computations. Graph theory helps in drawing graphs representing data organization within the computer network (Agarwal & Singh, 2009). It is easy to construct a graph representation of various data organizations within a computer network in an organization for any type of data of interest. Graphs also help in representing computation flow. They will show the pathway followed by a certain computation to arrive to the final answer of the computation. These types of graphs help the interested person to understand how a certain data organization had reached its final stage by giving various links of the data pathway. Understanding these links enhances easy retrieval of data as well as data processing at various stages (Foulds, 1991). For example, the graphs can be used to show the links on a website with its subsequent web pages, which helps in retrieving the required information for easy computation.

Graph theory has enhanced knowledge in networking in the following ways:

Data analysis
A graph helps in analyzing and understanding various computational sets of data by enhancing the understanding of various links followed during data computation. Understanding the links has helped networking professionals in understanding the data at each stage.

Graph theory has helped in designing and explaining information flow in communication networking.

Graphs have gives given networking professionals knowledge on how to design communication networks in organizations. They are able to understand how they can connect various computers at various levels of an organization to enhance efficient communication. Through graph theory it is possible to distribute management roles over a wider region without necessarily concentrating the management in small offices within an organization (Steen, 2010). It is through the graph theory that many businesses today are able to structure their communication through computer networking to monitor the progress of the business without physically being present at the business place.
I will use the theory to structure communication networks within my business. Being the manager of the business, I will have to design the pathway through which information should flow. The graph theory will help me analyze the number of departments required and how communication should flow through all these departments. When laying out the business plan I will have to make a graph drawing that will represent information flow. The vertices of the graph drawing will represent the departments of the business and the edges connecting them represent information flow. This will make it easier for me to frame efficient communication pathways within the organization. The graphical representations will make it easy for me to know the departments from which information is coming from and, therefore, understand the performance of various departments. I will be in a position to understand the department of origin of any information
Graph theory has contributed much in the area of networking; serving as the basis at which various links within the field of networking can be designed or traced by any person with the graph theory knowledge.

References:

Steen, M. . (2010). Graph theory and complex networks: An introduction. S.l.: Maarten van Steen.
Agarwal, U., & Singh, U. (2009). Graph theory. New Delhi: University Science Press/Laxmi Publications.
Foulds, L. R. (1991). Graph theory applications. New York: Springer-Verlag.
Japan Conference on Graph Theory and Applications, Akiyama, J., Egawa, Y., & Enomoto, H. (1988). Proceedings of the First Japan Conference on Graph Theory and Applications, Hakone, Japan, June 1-5, 1986. Amsterdam: North-Holland.
Novak, L., & Gibbons, A. (2009). Hybrid graph theory and network analysis. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.